Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Cairn - unclassified
Athdown,shankill, County Wicklow, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Athdown,shankill
- County
- Wicklow
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Trig. Stn. 2364
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Coordinates
- 53.19269, -6.37828
- SMR number
- WI006-004----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1790 "Composite: Ireland." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
Situated on the summit of Seefingan Mountain. Circular cairn (diam. 20m; H 3m) said locally to have contained a 'cave', with a 'tunnel' leading into it (Price and Walshe 1933, 47). Herity (1974, 258) suggests it may be a passage tomb, but no kerb or structures are visible.
The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Wicklow' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1997). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.
Date of upload/revision: 17 December 2008
The National Monuments Service is investigating incidents of relatively recent damage to the monument. Upon inspection in October, 2022, it was found that two, oval-shaped holes (L 1m; Wth 0.6m; D -.5-0.8m) had been excavated out of the summit of the cairn with the removed stones thrown off to the sides.
• See attached image: WI006-004----_1 Photo of two holes on the summit of the cairn. C. Corlett.
More extensive damage was discovered on the N-edge of the cairn where a very large hole (L 3m; D 1 – c. 2m) had been dug out of the side of the cairn. The removed stones were cast around the edge of the hole, with most thrown on the N-edge.
• See attached image: WI006-004----_2 Photo of large hole dug out on the N-edge of the cairn, viewed from NW. C. Corlett.
• See attached image: WI006-004----_3 Photo of the prehistoric cairn on the summit of Seefingan, viewed from SW. C. Corlett.
Updated by: Gearóid Conroy
Date of update: 16 November 2022
Nearby in the register
- Megalithic tomb - passage tombunder 1 mi
- Mound1 mi
- Hut site1 mi
- Hut site1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.